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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, bill collector, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law